Think back to the last time your server went down or you weren’t able to get email; remember how frustrating that was? Or perhaps you experienced a virus or other data-erasing disaster. Remember how painful that was to resolve?

There are very few business activities that don’t heavily rely on your computer network, e-mail and data – and if any of these components stop working, business grinds to a screeching, frustrating halt. And with viruses and hackers becoming more sophisticated (and smart) about accessing your network, you simply cannot afford to NOT monitor the health and security of your network daily.

A network monitoring system is simply a way for a trained professional to watch over your computer network for slow or failing components, security breaches, and alarms that signify trouble is brewing. It can also detect signs that your backup is not working, that you’re running out of space on the server, or that a firewall is not functioning properly. Think of it like a security camera watching over your entire network 24/7/365.

So if network monitoring is SO important, why aren’t more small businesses INSISTING that their IT person put a system in place? One of the biggest reasons we see is lack of knowledge. The reality is that many businesses DO have their systems monitored for problems; and the bigger and more sophisticated the company, the more critical this becomes. Smaller businesses are often outsourcing their IT support and, unless their computer guy offers this service, they may not even know it exists.

The second reason is complacency; the belief is that, “If it isn’t broke, why fix it?” This is akin to saying, “We don’t need locks on our doors because we’ve never had our house burglarized.” The reason you HAVE the locks is to prevent your home or office from being robbed – and the reason you have network monitoring is to make sure you DON’T have problems.

Want to know how healthy, secure and reliable your computer network is? Then call or email us before January 31st and we’ll give you 30-days of FREE server monitoring so you can see firsthand just how secure and reliable your server is. There is no cost or obligation after the 30 days; and at the end, you’ll have a clear snapshot of:

• The security of your server against viruses and hackers• How employees are using the Internet and e-mail• If your backups are actually working• Any looming problems in hardware malfunctions, space issues, reliability, etc.

Viral emails are becoming more widespread and diabolical every day. If you've received emails from DHL, FedEx, or UPS, or official looking emails from banks or lending institutions regarding ACH payments or bank draft information, do NOT open the .zip attachment or click any links in these emails. These emails are fake and carry very invasive viruses which can cause your important, sensitive or confidential data to be compromised or lost. If you are in a network environment, these infections can rapidly infect your entire network. If you host your own Exchange email server, you can become blacklisted and will be unable to send email due to infected traffic which may spew from your network.

These emails should be immediately deleted or moved to your Junk or Spam folder. If you are expecting an email from any of the large shipping companies, the best thing to do is check the Tracking number at their website (just copy and paste it from the email). You should also be sure your antivirus software is up to date and functional. If you're not sure whether you're up to date, our helpdesk department will be glad to assist you.